Title:
D.C. makes progress on medical marijuana implementation
Message:
It’s now been almost 13 years since D.C. voters approved Initiative
59, passing a medical marijuana law in the nation’s capital. Congress
finally removed barriers to implementation in late 2009, and many
expected the program to be up and running a few months later. But
amendments to the law passed by the D.C. Council and the glacial pace of
implementation have kept medicine from patients for nearly two
additional years.
But finally, there’s progress. Today, the D.C. Department of Health is making applications available for prospective cultivation center operators. You can read the official notice in today’s DC Register. Only those who submitted the required letter of intent back in June will be able to apply. There were over 100 letters submitted
by groups interested in operating cultivation centers, though some are
already out of contention because of faults with their letters, such as
missing the submission deadline.
Today’s notice applies only to cultivation centers, not dispensaries,
so advocates will have to wait a little longer for those. There’s also
no word on when patients will be able to apply to the program. Still,
it’s progress.
Thanks, and we’ll keep you posted as more details emerge.
